Use our to see if you’re entitled to housing benefit or council tax support.

Data Protection

Cornwall Council, as the Data Controller, is committed to protecting your privacy and any personal data you provide or we collect about you will be stored securely and only used for housing benefit/council tax support assessments, in accordance with our privacy policy. We will not use your information for any other purpose or give it to anyone else unless we are required to do so by law. For example, we have a duty to protect public funds so we may need to use the information held about you for the prevention and detection of fraud which would require us to share it with other Council statutory services or organisations responsible for auditing or administering public funds.

How do I apply?

Read this page to see if you’re eligible. If you are eligible to make a claim, you can do so online. Completing an online application form is likely to take between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on your circumstances. You can check on likely entitlement before completing the form using our benefits calculator.

If you have made a claim before, the fastest way to claim is by signing into your online account. (Choose benefits, select the account you would like to make a claim for, then select eclaim)

If you have never claimed before, or do not have an online account, you can still make a claim online

When you make your claim online, we'll send you a summary of the details we'll use to work out your benefit. You need to check the information and tell us if anything is missing or wrong and supply your supporting documents.

If you encounter problems using our online claim form, you can call 0300 1234 121 where an advisor will be able to help you.

What will we need to see?

As well as your claim form, we’ll need to see things like:

proof of your identity

your national insurance number, and

proof of your income, savings and rent

If you live with a partner we’ll also need to see their information. Your claim form will tell you what else you need to send us.

Our preferred method of receiving documents is via email. Please send clear copies or photographs to benefits@cornwall.gov.uk. Please ensure that the document is saved as a Word document or as a PDF file. It should then be attached to the email with your name, address and any reference number's clearly showing.

If you do not have access to the internet all forms and photocopies of documents should be sent by post. The address is shown on the front of the form or email/letter that has been sent to you requesting the information.

If you have problems supplying the information we ask for, ring our benefits advice line on 0300 1234 121. You can also download and print forms to help you gather some of the information we need.

How will I know if my claim is successful?

We’ll send you a letter telling you how much benefit you’re entitled to. The letter will explain how we’ve worked out your claim and how we’ll pay your benefit. If you’re entitled to council tax support, we’ll send you a new bill for the reduced amount. The bill will also show your new instalments.

Can I view my claim details online?

Once your claim has been assessed, you can check your claim details online. This includes viewing:

Council Tax support awards made

housing benefit payments

details about your next payment

any letters telling you about your benefit, and

how we’ve worked your benefit out

You can also sign up to have your notifications sent to you by e-mail.

To apply for payments to be made direct to your landlord, a direct payment to landlord form needs to be completed. You can complete the form yourself or your landlord or someone else can do it for you.

If we decide to make payments direct to your landlord, we will usually review the decision after an agreed time. This is to check direct payments are still appropriate.

Housing benefit helps people on low incomes pay their rent. It’s not available for mortgage repayments.

Council tax support helps people on low incomes pay their council tax.

Cornwall Council, as the Data Controller, is committed to protecting your privacy and any personal data you provide or we collect about you will be stored securely and only used for housing benefit/council tax support assessments, in accordance with our privacy policy. We will not use your information for any other purpose or give it to anyone else unless we are required to do so by law. For example, we have a duty to protect public funds so we may need to use the information held about you for the prevention and detection of fraud which would require us to share it with other Council statutory services or organisations responsible for auditing or administering public funds.

Read this page to see if you’re eligible. If you are eligible to make a claim, you can do so online. Completing an online application form is likely to take between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on your circumstances. You can check on likely entitlement before completing the form using our benefits calculator.

If you have made a claim before, the fastest way to claim is by signing into your online account. (Choose benefits, select the account you would like to make a claim for, then select eclaim)

If you have never claimed before, or do not have an online account, you can still make a claim online

When you make your claim online, we'll send you a summary of the details we'll use to work out your benefit. You need to check the information and tell us if anything is missing or wrong and supply your supporting documents.

If you encounter problems using our online claim form, you can call 0300 1234 121 where an advisor will be able to help you.

If you live with a partner we’ll also need to see their information. Your claim form will tell you what else you need to send us.

Our preferred method of receiving documents is via email. Please send clear copies or photographs to benefits@cornwall.gov.uk. Please ensure that the document is saved as a Word document or as a PDF file. It should then be attached to the email with your name, address and any reference number's clearly showing.

If you do not have access to the internet all forms and photocopies of documents should be sent by post. The address is shown on the front of the form or email/letter that has been sent to you requesting the information.

If you have problems supplying the information we ask for, ring our benefits advice line on 0300 1234 121. You can also download and print forms to help you gather some of the information we need.

We’ll send you a letter telling you how much benefit you’re entitled to. The letter will explain how we’ve worked out your claim and how we’ll pay your benefit. If you’re entitled to council tax support, we’ll send you a new bill for the reduced amount. The bill will also show your new instalments.

To apply for payments to be made direct to your landlord, a direct payment to landlord form needs to be completed. You can complete the form yourself or your landlord or someone else can do it for you.

If we decide to make payments direct to your landlord, we will usually review the decision after an agreed time. This is to check direct payments are still appropriate.